The building, scheduled for completion by the end of the year, is part of a drive to centralise Ergon’s operations. It will feature a depot and an office complex.

Following the Queensland government’s first community cabinet meeting, Energy Minister Mark Bailey and Bill Byrne, Member for Rockhampton, toured the site.

“Community cabinet is an opportunity for ministers and heads of government departments to spend more time in regional areas like Rocky, listening to the local community about local issues of concern,” Bailey said.

“I know job security is one of those issues. That’s why it’s great to be here with Bill Byrne at this building site. It’s generating more than 300 jobs at a time when job security is more important than ever. It’s also giving a much-needed boost to the local construction industry.”

For his part, Byrne was enthused by the benefits to the local area, with building materials coming from nearby suppliers and the workforce drawn from Rockhampton and surrounding regions.

He was also happy that any natural disasters could be handled more efficiently by Ergon due to all the necessary expertise being under one roof.

“In the cyclone and summer storm season, it’s not a matter of if we lose power, but when, and it’s reassuring to know that Ergon Energy is well-equipped with the resources it needs to swiftly respond to whatever nature throws at our electricity network,” Byrne said.